


candy canes and pine-ing for you

by dragonair



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Flirting, M/M, Pining, felix's christmas outfit from heroes, hilda incites chaos, summer sylvain cameo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28135746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonair/pseuds/dragonair
Summary: It’s December. The mall is crowded, because of course it is.“Felix?” Sylvain says, pulling his sunglasses halfway down his nose and looking Felix up and down. Unlike Felix, who must be barely visible under thirty pounds of Christmas-themed holiday attire, Sylvain is impossible to miss over the sea of toddlers lined up to meet mall Santa. "Is thatyou?"To Felix’s utter horror, Sylvain is only wearing swim trunks, flip flops, and a towel around his neck. In the middle ofDecember.
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 7
Kudos: 81





	candy canes and pine-ing for you

**Author's Note:**

> for anyone who might not know, felix recently got some new official art for fire emblem heroes, and i really wanted to add it to a fic! he looks like [this](https://guide.fire-emblem-heroes.com/en-GB/12003003000604-2/).
> 
> meanwhile, [sylvain](https://gamepress.gg/feheroes/hero/summer-sylvain) and [hilda](https://guide.fire-emblem-heroes.com/en-US/12004007000602-2/)'s designs!

It’s December. The mall is crowded, because of course it is. Felix is a fool for thinking that the goddess would be on his side, that she might coax everyone in his life to keep from visiting until the holiday season ends.

Now, Felix knows the truth. The goddess is cruel and unforgiving, even at the most joyous time of year.

“Felix?” Sylvain says, pulling his sunglasses halfway down his nose and looking Felix up and down. Unlike Felix, who must be barely visible under thirty pounds of Christmas-themed holiday attire, Sylvain is impossible to miss over the sea of toddlers lined up to meet mall Santa. “Is that _you?_ ”

And to Felix’s utter horror, Sylvain is only wearing swim trunks, flip flops, and a towel around his neck. In the middle of _December._

_How easy is it,_ Felix wonders, _to sharpen a candy cane into a spear?_

Though, Felix knows it’s of no use. He can’t throttle an onlooker. Not while he’s on the clock, not with this many children nearby, not when Sylvain is actually a decent person about stuff like this. The best Felix can do is to tell Sylvain to forget this happened, get right back to work, and hope that the goddess will keep Sylvain from burning the image of Felix in an elf costume into his memory. 

Felix sets a hand on Sylvain’s shoulder and squeezes until his knuckles ache. He bares his teeth, in an attempt to appear menacing _._

His plan derails, however, when the cluster of bells strapped onto his cloak jingle right next to Sylvain’s ear. At the noise, a soft smile plays on Sylvain’s lips. 

“Not a _word,_ Sylvain,” Felix says. “Say anything to anyone else about this, and I’ll kill you.”

Sylvain shakes his head. “Fuck, it really _is_ you. I was sure I’d been seeing things.”

Felix glowers. _Shit._ It might’ve saved him a lot of grief if he pretended not to recognize Sylvain at all. “No, it’s not. I was never here. You never saw me. Now let me get back to my job.”

“Hey, Felix, am I on the naughty list?” Sylvain croons, winking. “I think I’ve been good this year, but you’re the one keeping score.” 

_Your pickup lines are unbearable,_ Felix thinks, fighting the flush in his cheeks. “Yes. Now go away.”

“Aww, you’re cute when you’re flustered,” Sylvain teases. He raises an eyebrow at Felix’s hand, still clenched on his shoulder. “Are you, like, gonna give me my shoulder back now? I think you’re gonna burst a vein.” 

Felix pulls his hand away, staring at it like it personally offended him. He hadn’t meant to push down that hard. “You were obstructing the path to Santa’s chair,” he explains, “I have the right to move you by force.” 

“And how do you know I wasn’t in line to meet Santa myself?”

Felix hooks his arm around Sylvain’s elbow and pushes him away from the line of children, softer this time. “You wouldn’t fit on his lap.”

Sylvain sighs, setting a hand atop Felix’s gloved fingertips. He stands his ground, unyielding to Felix’s shove, but his voice is gentle when he says, “Look, I won’t tell anyone, promise? Your job will be our little secret, just you and me~” 

Felix’s grip tightens by the end. _He’s still an insatiable flirt._

Something in Felix’s expression must change, because Sylvain’s empathetic smile twists into something more salacious. “Oh, I see. Is this your way of saying you want to carry me out of the mall? Then, by all means.”

Felix grits his teeth. “It’s my way of telling you to get the fuck away from here.”

To accentuate his point, Felix pulls the candy cane from his belt and wields it like a knife. He hovers it just in front of Sylvain’s throat, before pausing to take Sylvain’s attire in once again. 

“What the hell are you wearing?”

Sylvain—he’s still _smiling_ , infuriatingly oblivious to the threat, like he knows Felix is too fond of Sylvain to actually hurt him—flexes his bare arms under Felix’s fingertips. “Oh? Well, funny you should ask. I just got a job at Hollister.”

_Hollister?_ Felix’s brow furrows. “Yeah? What does that have to do with your,” he scans Sylvain’s noticeably bare torso, “whorishness.” 

“This is the required dress code for greeters! We stand in front of the store and invite customers in with our _natural charisma._ ” Sylvain puts a hand on the elf costume’s shoulder pad. When the bells jingle again, Sylvain ignores it. “C’mon, Felix. I wouldn’t parade around the mall without a shirt on for no good reason. Honest.”

Felix hums, pulling the candy cane away from Sylvain’s throat.

Sylvain continues. “So, I get it. I won’t say anything about your holiday side gig. I know how embarrassing stuff like this is for you.”

There’s a surge of warmth in Felix’s chest. He tries to ignore it. _It’s bad enough that Sylvain’s shirtless. Now he’s pulling this emotionally intelligent shit?_

“Fine, then. But—”

“—what the fuck, _Sylvain_?” 

Felix nearly drops the candy cane in his hand. _Shit_. Sylvain isn’t alone. Of course he isn’t, who the fuck goes to a mall on their own? 

_Still, though,_ Felix thinks, willing down his nerves. _It’s possible that this is a complete stranger. One of Sylvain’s co-workers, maybe. I might have an opening…_

His eyes dart in their direction, hoping it to be true. Felix’s heart sinks, however, when he recognizes Hilda’s putrid pink ponytails behind Sylvain’s shoulder. Her mouth is agape, eyes fixed on Sylvain.

_It’s only natural that they’d come together,_ Felix thinks, recomposing himself. _They’re always fucking around, a pair of parasites._

Like Felix, Hilda is dressed head to toe in holiday attire—a red dress, white boots, and pink knee-high socks. Although, if she and Sylvain do work together, their outfit differences are suspect. 

She huffs, incredulous. “Don’t tell me you’re flirting with one of the mall Santa’s cronies. It literally hasn’t even been ten minutes since we got here!”

Sylvain’s eyes flit over to Felix. Again, he must see something in Felix’s eyes, because he moves to stand in front of him, obstructing Felix from Hilda’s view. 

“Not flirting, Hilda,” Sylvain lies, raising his hands in mock surrender. He glances back in Felix’s direction, flashing him a thumbs up behind his back before turning to Hilda again. “Just an old friend. We were...catching up, is all.” 

“Yeah, right. You never smile like that in front of ‘ _old friends,’_ you whore _._ ”

He laughs. “Aww, Hilda! I’m telling the truth this time, I swear.”

Their banter continues, Felix observing from a few feet away. He knows that he should return to his post, that Sylvain is creating a diversion for him by occupying Hilda, but there’s something compelling Felix to ogle Sylvain’s back. 

Felix has seen Sylvain shirtless before, many times since they were children. It’s broader now, and bigger than Felix’s, which has its tactical advantages. There is no tactical advantage, however, to Felix gawking at Sylvain like this, out in the open. Still, though, Felix pauses a moment longer. The broadness of Sylvain’s shoulders, the curve of his spine, the pattern of moles that Felix has had memorized since they were small… 

“Wait a sec,” Hilda blurts, head poking over Sylvain’s shoulder. “Is that _Felix_?” 

_Fuck._

“No, it’s not,” Felix says, curt, before spinning on his heel. Despite his misstep, there’s still a chance that he can duck away undetected if he leaves instantly. 

But Hilda is fast. Faster than Felix accounted for, he realizes, when she grabs his forearm before he takes a second step. 

“Oh my god, Felix,” she says, eyes widening with maniacal euphoria. She turns back to Sylvain, who shoots Felix an apologetic look. “You should’ve told me it was him! This makes sense now. I’m even sorry I interrupted you!”

_You are?_ Felix almost says, but he shakes Hilda off before he loses his composure. He stomps over to the line of children, not daring to look back.

“Sylvain thinks your butt looks cute in that costume!” Hilda calls, once Felix is a few feet away from his post. He trips and nearly falls over the stumpy children, barely steadying himself in time.

. . .

The rest of Felix’s day goes uneventfully. The children are uncooperative, but Felix surmises enough holiday cheer to ignore them and appease their parents. 

His shift doesn’t end until the mall closes, and he absolutely does not pass Hollister on the way to the break room to see if Sylvain is there, still shamelessly shirtless. Regardless of his efforts—or lack thereof—he does not see Sylvain, nor Hilda at the day’s end. 

Later, Felix changes out of his holiday costume in the break room. He’s about to leave when a bag at the corner of the room catches his eye—only because he recognizes Hollister the label on the outside.

Interest piqued, Felix opts to inspect the bag before leaving. 

_Sylvain works here. Isn’t this supposed to be expensive shit?_

To Felix’s surprise, the bag is addressed to him. His brow furrows as he reaches into it, pulling out two items. 

The first, a pair of red pajama bottoms with jingle bells. 

The second, a handwritten note. He reads it, recognizing Hilda’s handwriting:

  
  
_Felix - your secret is safe with us! Accept this as a peace offering :)_

Then, in smaller print underneath: 

_P.S. Sylvain says red looks good on you! <3 _

Felix crumples the paper in his hand. 

He keeps the pajama pants, though. Only because it’ll be a pain to tell Sylvain if he doesn’t. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed! huge thank you to [hojo](https://twitter.com/astrodeku) and [kieran](https://twitter.com/rronanllynch) for humoring my silly idea <3
> 
> twitter is [here](https://twitter.com/tsukisyama)!


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